Ying and Yang: Sequel to Making Men
by PeaceRoseG'ladheon
Summary: Entire second movie in Shang's point of view. Trying to maintain the Shang from the first movie!
1. New Mission

**I know I said I probably wouldn't continue, but I watched the second movie again and wondered if I could salvage Shang's dignity. So, I decided to continue! I know the second movie was a let down, but I'm hoping to be able to make Shang not seem so cheesy! So good luck to me, I guess ;)**

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My hands bit into the wood of the armrest. The clanging of pots and pans echoed from the kitchen. I could just imagine what the two women were concocting. Morning had passed quickly and cooly, congratulations and questions from her family. She had retreated to her room, promising to come back to me soon. I wasn't sure exactly how long had passed, but her absence seemed to magnify time. I heard excited voices drift from the kitchen once more, and I couldn't help but smile. I knew they were probably preparing something special in light of me and Mulan's engagement.

Mulan. It had nearly been four hours that we'd been engaged to be married. By some light, she had chosen not to reject me, and now, we were to spend the rest of our lives together. If we could only get through the wedding. I had to admit that getting up in front of a mass of people terrified me. I hated the thought of being on display for all of China to see. I didn't need an audience to start my life with Mulan. I had spent my entire life being analyzed by teachers, trainers, and even my father. I didnt' need to be judged further. No, a small wedding would be just right.

A hollow knock echoed through the house. "Shang?" floated a voice from the kitchen. "Could you answer the door? Mulan's parents and myself, mostly myself, have invited some friends over." I chuckled at the old woman's request. I hadn't even been engaged to her granddaughter for four hours, and I was already letting people into their home. I arrived at the door, and nearly jumped backwards in surprise.

The gathering crowd of women laughed and brushed past me into the house as I held the door open. I peered behind them. The throng of people was already starting to grow. I nodded as the last woman entered the threshold, and shut the door behind them. So much for no audience. I smiled to myself and approached the kitchen. The women were hovering over dishes and pots; odours were pouring thickly from the fire. "Can I assist you with anything?"

The women looked up and a flush of laughter ran through them. "You can retrieve your absent fiancè!" cried an elderly voice from the back. I smiled and blushed, rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment, but followed the orders, as I always did.

Mulan's room was at the end of the hall, and I thought I heard voices drifting from behind her doorway, but as I approached, I heard only silence.

"Mulan...." I called. She stood before her mirror, absently gazing into it; her eyes sparkling with amusement. Her eyes shot up as I entered the room. I smiled.

"It seems your Grandma has decided to invited someone to help us celebrate the engagement." She too could sense the danger of her Grandmother's plans. Her nose crinkled in worry.

"Really?" she said hesitantly. "Who?" I laughed and took her hand, leading her down the hallway. As we reached the wall, I pulled back the door, and we both stuck our heads past the frame. The crowd had flourished, filling most of the yard.

"China." She elbowed me playfully in the chest, though my armour deflected the blow. The crowd seemed to notice our presence.

"Congratulations!" They cried, cheering and laughing. Mulan and I shyly walked to the front of the porch towards the crowd. _I hate crowds._

Mulan's Grandmother floated past us, plates of rolls and porridge balanced on her arms. "Isn't it wonderful?" she proclaimed. _Yes, absolutely peachy!_ I scolded the negative voice in my head. "Sorry it's a little slap-dash. It took us by surprise, you know." _Ah, so she **did** know! _I had suspected that she had predicted my proposal, but it escaped my mind how. We laughed.

She pushed through the crowd. "Make way for the happy couple!" _Excellent. More attention. Just what I need._ The mass of people bowed to us, and I felt myself growing more and more uncomfortable.

"Now _this_is a battlefield," I muttered. I would have turned and ran right now if my life with Mulan, and my happiness, wouldn't be affected. She must of sensed my discomfort, because her tone turned easy and light, talking to me as if she were teaching the neighbourhood children.

"What's our strategy, _General_?" she teased. I knew the only way we could make our way through the mass of questions as quickly as possible would be to seperate, although I wanted her at my side.

"Divide and conquer," I teased back, wishing we could just turn and retreat inside and spend the afternoon quietly together. I had barely have a moment alone with her. I wanted to get to know my future wife better, seeing as I hadn't known her as a woman for nearly as long as I'd known her as Ping. But sadly, we were force to endure a rush of questions. I tried to stick to Mulan's side, but she was jerked away from me, and I was left to fend for myself in this unfamiliar environment.

"Will it be a big wedding?" _Crowds? No thank you._

"How many children are you planning to have?" _Many. I hated being an only child. I wanted my children to have what I did not._

"Do you have any names picked out?" _No, I have never expected to survive battle, let alone get married and have children._

"Will you be moving to the Imperial City?" _Never. And ask Mulan to leave her family behind?_

"What type of food will you serve and the wedding?" _I had ate a little too much spicy food during my school days, and hadn't cared much for flavoured food since._

"Have you thought about decorations?" _No..._

"Clothing?" _No..._

"Theme?" _No..._

"Honeymoon?" _Yes. I mean-_

The gate burst open, and the people carved a path for the approaching horseman. I quickly found Mulan and pulled her to my side.

"General Shang! Fa Mulan!" cried the man. "Orders from His Majesty the Emperor." He handed each of us a scroll. My pulse quickened. The last time I had been given a mission from the Emperor, the country had been almost destroyed.

"Is there trouble?" I asked. _Of course there's trouble! He wouldn't send someone just to check up on you!_

"Yes, sir. Report to the Imperial Palace." I scanned the scroll.

_General Li Shang,  
You have been selected by His Majesty the Emperor of China to  
carry out a mission for the name of your country. Upon receiving  
this, report to the Imperial Palace to accept your mission..._

I snapped shut the scroll. Mulan met my gaze, and gave a slight nod of conformation. I pushed my fist into my palm and bowed in respect.

"We'll leave at once."

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**Voila! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Just the Men

The leather strap whined sharply as it passed through the buckle. The smell of hay and manure drifted through the air. I stood beside my horse in the stall, tightening straps and buckles. We had about a week's ride ahead of us. An entire week of avoiding crowds, congratulating mobs, and wedding plans? I couldn't get away fasat enough. It would be idealistic if the threat of our mission wasn't hanging over our heads.

"This must be pretty important for the Emperor to want both of us," I pondered out loud. Mulan smiled and set the water bucket she held on the dirt floor of the barn.

"He knows a winning team when he sees one," she teased. I almost snorted. _Team? You saved China, and I did......what exactly? _But I knew my thoughts rang out loud, Mulan would tell me that I had saved the Emperor. That I had sacrificed myself to etcetera etcetera etcetera. She was always the positive one. And I still hated myself for not being strong enough to avoid being knocked out cold while Mulan was forced to fend for herself from a monster over twice her size. _Pathetic._

"Hardly a team," I muttered. Mulan sighed and exited her stall.

"Shang," she grabbed my hand and pulled me from my stall. "You did protect me, no matter what you think."

"You could have been killed," I mumbled. "And I couldn't have done anything." I hated feeling helpless. I needed control. I needed rules. I had watched my mother die before my eyes, and I was too helpless to defend her.

She stroked the top of my hands with the pad of her thumb. I hadn't told her about my mother. I never would. She had fallen in love with a warrior. Surely, she would reject a helpless, cowardly man.

I smiled, trying to contain my emotions, and turned back to my horse. She sighed in exasperation and patted Khan's nose. I couldn't help but chuckle at her irritated expression. She narrowed her eyes playfully at me, but remained silent.

The barn doors squealed open, revealing Mulan's parents walking towards us, Fa Li stationed at Fa Zhou's side. Mulan looked up in surprise and greeted them. Her parents smiled.

"We were just admiring the Mudan tree," said Fa Zhou.

"It's so lovely this year," Mulan replied wistfully, although I could detect a hint of suspicion in her voice. Fa Zhou had never been a man to beat around the bush, pardon the pun.

"The blossoms reach for the sunlight above," Fa Zhou preached, cradling a flower in the palm of his hand, "Yet, unseen, the roots reach for the rainwater below." He placed the blossom in Mulan's hair. "Sun and rain. So different, yet, only by working together do they create harmony and life."

Ah! So that's Fa Zhou's meaning. I gazed at Mulan. _Sun and rain_. Mulan simply smiled.

"I _know _Baba, the lesson of Ying and Yang." Ah, yes, Ying and Yang, the heavens and earth.

"And to help you remember that lesson..." The Fa's removed the pendants that hung from their necks. The two halfs of the Ying and Yang symbol.

"Father! Mother! Your necklaces..."

"Not ours," said Fa Li, her soft voice floated in the air, "Our great great grandparents."

"And now," Fa Zhou placed each necklace around our necks, "yours." I was honoured to be included in this grand tradition. I felt, well, I felt like part of the family.

"Thank you, sir." I whispered, still in shock.

"Their so beautiful!" Mulan breathed, clutching her pendant in the palm of her hand.

"But you'll be surprised how heavily they can weigh," warned Fa Zhou. I had no doubt. But we could work through it. We _would. _"To share the burden, you must work together, as the sun and rain."

Mulan hugged her mother, and I bowed to Fa Zhou. Her parents bowed to each of us, and exited the barn. A comfortable silence fell over Mulan and I. She stared at the polished pendant. I broke the quiet.

"You're sun." She looked up at me, confused.

"What?"

"Sun and rain. You're sun." She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, waiting for me to explain. I laughed at her expression. "You're positive and bright, I'm sarcastic and negative."

She shook her head and smiled. "You're not that sarcastic."

I smiled at her and gave her a sideways glance. "Out loud..." I mused. She slapped my arm playfully and we got back to work, preparing for our journey.

* * *

On the last day of our travels, we were both getting restless. The sun was beginning to be absorbed into the horizon, leaving the land glowing with gold. As the Imperial Palace rose into view, I caught Mulan pushing her horse foward impatiently. I sped up as well, letting my horse take the lead by a foot or two. Mulan pushed forward once again; watching me. I raised an eyebrow and kicked my heels into the horse's side, making him started into a trot. She kicked back into the lead, not glancing a look backwards. She was testing me.

I nudged the side of the horse hard, throwing into a full-speed gallop. I stole a glance back at Mulan, who was attempting to catch up. I laughed and winked at her, and turned back to the road ahead.

We arrived at the Imperial Palace at twilight. We handed off our horses to the stable boy. The one, I was embarrassed to admit was the same boy who had prepared my horse when I was running after Mulan after Shan Yu's attack. I had jumped and bared my sword; not expecting him to be there, and after had forgotten a tip. He smiled as he saw he. I avoiding his amused gaze and handed him the reins and I gave him his tip. Mulan noticed our interaction and raised her brows, but walked forward without saying anything. I watched her go, then turned back to the boy, handing him double the amount. He smiled and nodded a thanks, and I scurried after my fiance.

Guards greeted us at the door. As soon as we entered the Palace, my face hardened and turned professional. The Palace was a place of business. Most of the Palace had been repaired of the damage that we had caused. Most of the roof of the West wing had been destroyed due to fireworks explosions that had defeated Shan Yu. So we were lead into the old throne room.

The Emperor stood at the top of the marble steps, and he straightened as he saw us. We approached the steps and bowed to him. Motioning for us to rise, the Emperor launched into his plans.

"Welcome back. I see you two have reacquainted yourselves." Mulan and I glanced quickly at each other, then looked away. "Well then, China is under threat once again. I have called the two of you back to the Palace to see that our country remains at peace." I nod.

"What threat, Your Excellency?" I ask, a dark feeling in my gut starting to rise.

"As we stand here, Mongol forces are moving closer to our border. The threat of attack is growing every day. As it is, our army is hopelessly outnumbered." I thought of my father's army, lying in the snow, the feeling of strength had evaporated from them. I thought of my father, the strongest man I had ever known, his body discarded as if he had never lived within it.

Determination built within me. "Your Majesty, let me lead my forces in a preempted strike. Each of my warriors will fight like ten Mongols."

"No, General. I plan to defeat this enemy without the use of force." I nodded in agreement, but I couldn't help feel the slightest bit of embarrassment at my outburst. I really needed to learn how to keep myself under check. "Instead, we will forge a union so strong the Mongols won't dare attack. An alliance," he explained, "With the Kingdom of Qigong." We both climb the set of stairs at meet the Emperor at the map that has been carefully positioned on the table.

"We will become united through marriage." He pulled a piece from his robes and placed it on the map. Three young girls. "You will escort three princesses to Qigong. There, they will marry Lord Chin's sons and seal the alliance." Mulan emitted a strangled noise. A didn't risk a look at her. _A place of business._

"Yes, Your Majesty." The Emperor nodded and continued, walking back up to his position at the top of the stairs.

"My advisors tell me the charts are clear. If this wedding does not take place in three days, the alliance will crumble and the Mongols will destroy us." He turned back and stared at me with a look that pierced through me. "Mark my words, General. Three days." I repressed a shiver.

"Not a moment more, Your Majesty." His eyes shifted to Mulan. _Oh no._

"I know that face, Fa Mulan. What troubles you?" _Please, Mulan, just this once..._ I loved her for her determination, but she didn't know what lay on this marriage.

"Your Majesty, an _arranged marriage_?" I cursed silently. I knew this would be an issue. He motioned for her to approach, and she complied. I resisted the urge to grab her arm and yank her back down. _I hope you know what you got yourself into..._

"Rest assured, child, my daughters know exactly what they're doing." I flinched. _I hope he knows what **he's** got himself into._

"Your _daughters_?" Her eyes widened.

"They consider it an honour to marry in the cause of peace." He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. _Nod and walk away, Mulan, just walk away._

"Your Majesty, I uh, I..." That's it. I approached the top of the steps, hurrying as fast as I could. She must have sensed me beside her, as she always did, and quieted.

"Apology accepted. General?" My head snapped up. "How many troops do you need to complete this mission?" he asked, sitting in his throne and folding his hands together. I raised a brow, a mischievous demeanor taking over me.

"Three." I responded, my mood lightening at the very thought.

"Three _companies?_" The Emperor asked, his brows rising. I smile.

"Three _men_." Mulan smiled. The Emperor's expression turned to one of horror.

"You surprise me, General. These are my children."

"This mission does not call for force, but finesse. We must become one with the countryside."

"As Emperor, I trust you. As a father, I implore you to chose your three soldiers wisely." _Oh, I already have._

I smiled and looked at Mulan. She herself was trying to contain her laughter. "I know just the men. Fearless..."

"Loyal," Mulan continued.

"And disciplined." _Sort of..._

Mulan leans into me. "China's most honourable and noble soldiers."

* * *

I had changed into my robes for the ride back to the village. I knew the arranged marriage of the princesses was eating at Mulan, but I couldn't bring myself to talk to her about it. She was so strong-minded, I was sure to loose that battle. This is the way it was done. It was the way it has always been done.

So once we were informed of where our three soldiers were currently living, we made our way back to the village that was close to here. As we rode into town, we began looking for the three men. We strolled around the village, asking the odd person if they had seen anyone by their appearance. I wished to grab Mulan's hand, but we were on a mission, and I knew it would be unprofessional.

As we reached the Matchmaker's studio, Mulan started to pull back. I was about to reach out for her when we heard a commotion coming from a nearby restaurant. As we approached. Three men fell from beneath the curtain and landed at our feet. They gazed up guiltily at us, noticing Mulan first.

"Mulan!" They cried, then seemed to notice I was there. I crossed my arms, but couldn't contain my laughter at the sight of them, piled onto the dirt ground. _Maybe I was wrong about the discipline._

"If you three aren't too busy disturbing the peace, I need you to join Mulan and me on a mission." She stood beside me and crossed her arms as well.

"To save China?" Ling's excitement was contagious.

"Naturally," Mulan replied with enthusiasm. Yao shot up and returned to his usual cocky self.

"I'll be leaving behind a few broken hearts, but...... count me in." I rolled my eyes. Typical Yao.

"Sign me up!"

"When do we start, General?"

I smiled. "Tonight."


	3. Distractions

The night air swirled around us. Bright lights shone from paper lanterns hanging from the roof of the carriage, as well as the torches lining the walls of the Palace; leaving ghostly shadows to dance through the yard.

I stalked around the carriage, checking for signs of a threat. I studied the courtyard, the pathway, the Palace steps. Clear. I motion for Yao, Ling, and Chein Po, who emerge from the darkness. Sillhouettes dance on the walls of the stone archway, bending and clarifying. The three princesses appear, followed by the Emperor, and finally, Mulan.

The torchlight was absorbed into her hair, leaving behind a halo of light around her. Her hands were folded at her waist, and she stood patiently waiting until hte princesses bid their father goodbye. I watched her as the three girls floated down the stairs, quietly discussing with the Emperor. She bowed deeply to him, and decended the stairs. I stood at the base of the steps; she smiled as she saw me staring her. I blushed and looked away. _Stay on task. You have a mission to complete. The Emperor is **watching** you! Right now! Turn away!_

"Can you get the spare blankets?" I mumble, avoiding her gaze. She nods, or so I assume, and departs. I shake my head to clear it. _Focus. _I move over to the entrance of the carriage.

"We are about to depart, Your Highnesses," I press my fist into my palm and bow my head. "You have my word we will arrive swiftly and safely."

"My sisters and I thank you, Li Shang." The eldest replied softly from behind her fan. Mulan squeezes silently between me and the door frame, blankets in hand, her eyes cast downwards like a scolded child.

"Permit me to introduce Fa Mulan," I announce. _My fiance, my future wife, the love of my life,_ I could have said, but no, I remained quiet, listening to the voice in my head that sounded much like my father. _Business and other life are two seperate matters, Shang. _

"It is a privilege to meet the hero of China," replied the middle princess.

"I leave you in her capable hands." Mulan blushes slightly, but it is barely visible in the faint light. I am just looking for it. I snap back into business mode. "Stand ready!" I call to the three soldiers. The dark shadows their faces as they take their positions on the sides of the carriage. I stalk around the sides of the carriage again, checking for threats again. Nothing. I can hear Mulan conversing with the princesses.

"I'm not sure I could..." _Oh no..._

"Mulan!" I call quickly, hoping I'm not to late, "Prepare to move out!" I hear the door slam shut, and I walk to the front of the carriage, grabbing the reins of team of horses.

They shook their heads, rattling the leather straps. I hand them to Yao, who looks wistful and distracted. I give him a stern look, and he snaps out of it. I mount my own horse and push my heels into it's side. "Move out!" I call, and we depart. I can't help but notice the Emperor still perched on the top of the stairs, and for the first time, his shoulders rounded the slightest bit. And we are gone.

-  
Mulan quickly rides up beside me.

"Have you noticed Yao? What's wrong with him?" she asks, her expression thoughtful. I just shrug. I had noticed, but I wasn't sure how to discuss something so easy and natural when I was supposed to be on a mission. I had always been taught to keep them seperate. I didn't know how to start combining them now, and I didn't know if I should. My father certainly didn't, and he was the greatest hero I had known. Mulan seemed to sense my silence, and tried a different approach.

"Are we going to make it in three days? I know we don't have far to go, but it still might be a stretch..." talking about our mission. There's something I could do.

"I pray. As long as we ride almost steady, we might make it. We have to. The fate of our country rests on this." I shot her a sidelong glance, hoping she caught the meaning in my words. She nodded, suddenly quiet.

"I know," she whispered. I nod back. "The Tung Shao pass would probably be the fastest path, then?" I nod once again in agreement. The last time we had passed through Tung Shao pass, the Hun army had been distroyed, and I had discovered that my faithful soldier Ping was a woman. And now, I was returning as the General of the Imperial Army and engaged to be married to the very woman that had almost broke me. As odd as it sounded, it brightened my spirits to be returning.

"If we reach Tung Shao pass by midday tomorrow..." she thought out loud.

"We'll have just enough time to make it to Qigong." I finished with enthusiasum. We actually might be able to do this.

The sun rose high over the land, flushing the already red wildflowers with a golden hue. We passed closer and closer into the mountains, and I could feel myself draining of energy quickly. I hadn't talked to Mulan in hours, and I could soon see that she was fastly turning inwards, her face becoming darker and darker with heavy thoughts. I had avoiding talking to her. I knew she would end up trying to convince me to do something that was against my duties. And I couldn't do that. But it tugged at my heart to see her so displaced, and before I knew it, words were slipping out of my mouth. She sighed sadly.

"What's the face?" I asked. She stiffened and turned away.

"What face? she said in surprise, but I could see her thoughts were overburdening her, and the light in her eyes was dimming.

"That face."

"There's no face," she said defensively, "This is my face, that's all..." I sighed. I wasn't giving up that easily.

"You know I know you better than that, Mulan, what's wrong?" Her face turned downwards and she refused to look at me.

"I know our duty is to the mission..." _Oh no... you knew this was coming._

"But.....?" I inquired, my voice hesitant.

"But I have another duty. To my heart." _Great...._ I knew I shouldn't have asked. This is why duty and other life should be seperated.

I tugged the reins of the horse. "Oh, Mulan," I sighed. "Your _only_ duty is to the Emperor."

"But Shang," she insisted, "An _arranged marriage?_" I sighed again.

"I know, but not everyone can be as lucky as we are." _So be thankful, _I wanted to say. "In an ideal world, everyone would marry for love." She cast her gaze down again. "The world isn't perfect," I prodded softly, hoping she would understand. She looked even sadder than before. And before I could stop it, the words poured from my subconsious like an avalanche.

"I'm just glad my world is." I touched her hand softly. She looked up and gave a sad smile. I suddenly realized how distracted I had become. _One distraction can cause you your life, Shang. It's important that you stay focused._

"I think we should stop. The horses are tiring. They need water." I said gruffly. Mulan nodded and we pulled our horses to a hault. She dismounted to attend to the princesses, and I took the reins of both of our horses and lead them to the water's edge. I sighed.

_Why was I so removed from her? I can't do a thing to make her feel better, so should I just stay out of it?_ I grumbled and knelt by the water, cupping it in my hands and running it over my face. We had another full day of riding ahead, and then we could rest for the first time in twenty four hours at nightfall. It would be a long day. I was already exhausted, let alone frustrated with all of these distractions.

I sat on the shore until the horses finished, then lead them back towards the front of the team. Mulan was already packing up supplies.

"Lets get back on the road!" I called to them. Mulan quickly appeared at my side. And we set off.

_

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_**Thanks for reading!**


	4. Runaway Brides

**Yay! New Chapter!!!!!!! **

* * *

Morning forced it's way into my tent; flooding through the flap and into my eyes. I groaned and turned over, but by then I ws already awakened. Getting restless, I pushed myself off of the ground and yawned, unable to stretch in the enclosed space. I ungracefully pulled on my robes, feeling stiff from my days ride, and walked out of the tent.

The air was cool and still. No one stirred in their tents, not even the princesses. I sighed, nevre truely feeling at ease while on a mission, and made my way over to the small pond. The cold water would surely awaken me.

Mulan stood shin-deep in the calm water, a fishing rod in hand. I couldn't help but smile. Her shoulders were relaxed and serene. I silently stooped and closed my hand around a small pebble. With one fluid motion, I tossed the stone out in front of her. She jumped in surprise and spun. Her eyes narrowed when she saw me.

"You scared them all away!" she cried. I laughed and shook my head.

"You're doing it wrong anyways." She gave an insulted laugh and dipped her hands into the water, pulling them up rapidly and showering me with water. I brought my arms up defensively, as if to fend off an invisble blow.

"If you're going to spend your time here, then you might as well grab a rod." She pointed back towards the way I had come. I laughed and turned on my heel, heading back towards the supplies. The three soldiers were up now, quietly discussing. When they saw me approach, they silenced. I raised my eyebrows suspiciously, but leaned into the cart, grabbing a spare pole. Yao had his eyes cast downwards. I felt that I should ask, but knowing Yao, I knew I wouldn't want to discover the answer. So I returned to Mulan, shaking my head.

We stood in silence, each of us trying to stay absolutely still. She cast her line again, and, being cocky, I shook my head and made a disapproving noise. She raised an eyebrow, challenging me. I threw back my line, hearing it whiz far through the air behind me, and pulled it forth. Somehow, it had caught the back of my robes and pulled them up, and I ended up in a knot; sitting in the chilling water. _Excellent... _And my day only got worse from there.

Burns, cuts, scrapes, falls, stings, bites, and bruises later, I sat, tying up my horse for a continuation of the ride. I ached everywhere. The gods were punishing me for something. Why else would they have put me through this day? I had taken it with good humour, and so had Mulan, but this is not the way I usually liked to carry myself. I could arrive from battle without a scratch, survive in the woods with just a knife, but had been repeatedly injured while doing simple tasks. Yes, the gods were punishing me for something, if I could just figure out what.

The three princesses were being rounded into the carriage, preparing for travel. Mulan mounted her horse beside me, and I walked around mine three times before hesitantly mounting. I had slid down the side of the horse earlier that morning, after an improper buckle. I know I had done it up securely, but it had managed to pull loose.

Mulan and I were to stake out the hills before Yao, Ling and Chein Po would take the princesses through. We perched the horses on a jutted rock, staring out over the smooth surface of the horizon. _We'll have to take the left path if we want to avoid the cliff.... _We stayed silent for several minutes, staring out over the land, until Mulan hesitantly spoke.

"You seem.... _off_ today..." I nodded.

"I must be doing something wrong." She turned to face me.

"Or maybe it's just an accident. You _have_ had the least amount of rest than the rest of us," she argued. I sighed and nodded again. _Perhaps..._

A rumbling sliced through the peace. I quickly scanned the hills for approaching horsemen, but it was bare. Until the carriage roared past, taking along with it the three soldiers, and what I could only guess, the princesses.

"They're heading for the cliff! Come on!" I cried, and Mulan and I shot from our post towards the runaway carriage.

We pulled up on either side of the carriage; Yao clinging desperately to the canvas roof. The princesses attempted to steady themselves inside the trembling carriage.

"Time to go, ladies!" I called, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. A princess was pulled from the window by Yao.

"Take my arm!" I cried to her, pulling her behind me onto the saddle. She clutched onto my my sides almost painfully, her nails digging into my skin. I subconsiously noted that _Mulan_ didn't have long nails, being a working soldier. I silently noted this; knowing I would appreciate that now.

"Ting Ting's stuck!" screamed Ling. I turned sharply to see the eldest princess with her ankle caught in the unstable wood. In one fluid motion, I pulled a rope from the saddle bag and coiled it. Unravelling it with a snap, I tossed it to Mulan.

"Mulan! The rope!" She caught it swiftly and tied it to the horn of her saddle. I jerked the reins of my horse, trying to bring it to a hault.

The force was excruciating. My arm was nearly pulled from my socket, and I struggled to stay on the saddle. I could feel the bones break in my hand, and the rope tightened like a snake coiled around my knuckles. I gritted my teeth in pain as we were pulled closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. And I felt the road beneath me give way, and I was falling.


	5. Ignoring Directions

The cool water absorbed me. I was floating. The light danced and swirled above me, making bright and glowing shapes. The pressure on my chest was growing ever tighter, but the serenity made me ignore it. I was frozen in ice; in time. Finally, my chest spasmed painfully, and an air bubble escaped my lips, rising above my head like the moon; glowing and shimmering with light. I followed it up.

My head broke the surface, and I gasped desperately for air.

"Is everyone all right?" I croaked. Heads broke through the surface. _Su, Mei, Ling, Chein Po, Ting Ting, Yao.... Mulan?_

My heart started pounding in my ears. _Please. Let her be alive. _I scanned the waters frantically. _I'll give anything. I'll give my life! Just let her be alive!_

My pulse slammed against my ears. And she burst from the waters, gasping for air.

"Mulan!" I swam as fast as I could to her, pulling her into my arms. She leaned against me, her breath wheezing. A beautiful sound.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I don't know!" replied Mulan; finally gaining her breath. "I wasn't near the carriage!" I nodded.

"Yao, Ling, save the supplies." I pulled Mulan to shore. She lay down on the grass, panting and coughing. I hovered over her, my heart rate starting to slow. Clearing her throat, she sat up, and I helped her to her feet.

"Are you alright?" I couldn't keep the concern from my voice. _Stay focused on your mission._ I shoved the inner voice from my head. She gave me a smile and nodded, lightly touching my cheek.

I breathed a sigh of relief, then, with reluctantcy, moved away to help haul waterlogged supplies from the shore. As I tried to grab one of the chests, my hand clenced painfully. _My hand!_ I curled and uncurled my fingers gingerly, wincing at the pain. It was heavily bruised, but not broken like I had first suspected. I would just have to take it easy for a while. At least until my hand healed......

As I gently took supplies from the shore, Mulan appeared beside me, but I pulled the boxes from her hands. She tried to tug them back, but she was still a little shaky from the lack of air. I leaned in and pressed my lips to her forehead, then walked off before I could say something in front of the others that would break my mission focus.

After everyone had dried off, we set up the tents and rested. I was starting to feel time's pressure, knowing that this would set us back, and I was worried that we wouldn't make it, and our entire country would crumble. _No pressure..._Mulan almost drowning didn't add to my ease, and I found myself tense and agitated. I would have to find a new path that would cut down on time.

I rummaged through the chests; the leather peeling and damaged. The contents would have to be set out to dry, or we would experience mold spreading throughout our possessions. I reached into another box, and found what was left of my papers, and my dripping map. I cursed silently, then dragged the map out to the fire.

Mulan stood beside the flames, dangling blankets over the bamboo rods. She noticed my presence.

"I've seen happier princesses..." she thought out loud.

"That's the least of our problems.." I mumbled. Opening the map carefully, I saw that the ink had run in streams down the page. I let out a growl of frustration. _Perfect. Just perfect. How were we supposed to make it now? _

"There's a mountain pass between here and Qigong," I explained to her. I hoped it wouldn't come to this, but... "It takes us through bandit country, but it's the only way."

"Why not just follow the river?" she asked. I gazed back at the map. Nothing. I wasn't taking any chances.

"Because the river is not on the map," I said, a little disappointed.

"It's bound to go passed a town. And when there's a town, there's a road." she said enthusiastically.

"There's no town on the map!" I cried, trying to keep the bite of frustration out of my voice. I knew it was logical, but I didn't have time for wandering.

"Well, maybe we should just forget the map and wing it," she prodded. I sighed. _Wing it? _Plans and thought out procedures. I had never done anything else. I _needed_ rules. Winging it was not an option. Especially not now. I didn't even know _how_ to "wing it."

"We can't _wing it,_" I said. "We need a new plan! We have three days! What if we get lost?" _Then war breaks out over our countries._

"Then we pull over and ask for directions," she said easily.

"We don't need to pull over and ask for directions! We _have_ a map!" I argued.

"What _is_ it with men and asking directions?" she cried. My tense exterior burst thorugh to my surface.

"What _is _it with women and maps?" I snapped back.

"You're saying women can't read maps?" I knew that my anger was misplaced, and I scolded myself for my next few words, but they rushed through my lips anyways.

"I'm saying that women will _ask _directions, but they won't follow them...." and our ridiculous argument exploded. That is until, Yao cleared his throat, alerting us to his presence.

"Oh...... Am I.... interrupting?" I immediately felt ashamed. _We had a mission to complete, and I was having a meaningless quarrel over something insignificant. _I was taking it out on Mulan, and it wasn't fair to her. And I knew it. But I didn't need to ask directions. I could find my way on my own.

"Stealth report. I found a village, and a path to it through the forest.

"A....forest path?" We said in unison. T_hat's embarrassing. Here you were, being an idiot, and someone actually took the time to do something. _I once again scolded the voice in my head.

"Great. Show us." He lead us about one hundred feet from the camp. _Nice._

"See? If it were a snake it woulda bit ya." He pulled away the cutain of bushes to reveal an obvious pathway.

"There's _bound _to be a road down there that we lead us to Qigong!" Mulan said with enthusiasum. I bowed.

"Good work, Yao." _For saving me from saying something I'd regret._

"Thank you, sir," he bowed, and disappeared, leaving me and Mulan to stare awkwardly at one another. I turned and studied the map. Out of the trees, I could see the map much more clearly in the direct moonlight. The ink had smeared, but I could now see a faint line. I was almost sure it was a river. _Nice........._

"Shang, I'm sorry." Mulan's voice started from the silence. _Really? For what? For not being able to tell the difference between a line and empty space? _"You're in charge of the mission." I sighed. _If women can't read maps,_ the inner voice mused, _what does that make you?_

"No, I'm the one whose sorry. A good leader is one whose open to new ideas." _One who is fair, loyal and honest. A good leader will always be victorious, and will forgive those who are not._ I wished I wouldn't hear my father's teachings in my head, but they were bred into my blood. I lived by them. "Forgive me?" I whispered, taking her hands in mine.

"There's nothing to forgive," she replied softly. I brought her towards me, and she leaned into my arms. _This was home _I thought. As we pulled away, our Ying and Yang necklaces got tangled together. _Forever joined; your other half. _We both laughed, and she reached between us and untangled the pendants. I grabbed her hands again, and we fell into a comfortable silence.

"I'd better go. I've got the first shift, _General._" I couldn't contain the disappointment from my face. As she departed, I absently reached out after her. _I love you..._

And I shrugged away to my tent, hoping that I would be able to sleep tonight.

* * *

**Another chapter, finished! Yay! Thanks for your reviews! I love reading them, they really help me out! And to answer your question, Kool Broadway Reader, I memorized all of the lines. JK! It's the wonderful world of YouTube. Yay YouTube!**


	6. Dreaming

I stood shin deep in the snow. It swirled around me, but I couldn't feel the cold. A deathly haze settled around me as I stared off into the frosty field. Bodies were half-buried in the snow. The stuck up from the land like gravestones.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see my father, proud and tall, staring back at me. I wasn't surprised to see him. I had almost been expecting him.

"You're engaged," he said, his words were a statement, not a question. I thought of Mulan and smiled.

"Yes." I was proud. My father slowly nodded.

"To a soldier." Another statement.

"Yes, she's a soldier." I could hear the hesitation in my voice.

"You had an argument." I was getting antsy at his words.

"Yes, it was my fault. I was agitated and I took it out Mulan," I explained. He shook his head.

"She disrespected you." I winced.

"No. Really, it was my fault. I-"

"She defied you. She insulted you. Man, she laughed at your map!" I didn't notice my father's sudden change of language.

"My....map?"

"And if she's laughing to your face, imagine what she's saying _behind your back._" he hissed. I winced again.

"No, she would never-"

"She's a loose cannon," he preached, straightening his back in a sign of superiority, "She's out of control. I mean, who's in charge here? You? Or Mulan?" _Mulan. Mulan. Mulan._

"Mulan!" I sat up in a sweat. My father evaporated before my eyes, leaving me to stare at the walls of my empty tent. _It was just a dream._ But what was a dream? The more I tried to grasp onto my rapidly fading dream, the more the dream was erased from my dream. A tired yawn escaped my lips, and I drifted back to sleep.

But I had barely dozed off when I heard hushed voices outside of my tent. I pulled the blanket over my head, but when I heard my name, I slowly sat up.

Mulan's silhouetted figure danced on the tent wall, along with that of three women. The princesses.

".....hard head.......everything's got to have a strategy......"

"Mulan?" I muttered sleepily.

"The man won't brush his _teeth_ without a backup plan!" I murmured an incoherent sentence, sure that I had heard wrong.

"I blame myself. I fell for those broad shoulders." My head was groggy and my thoughts thick. I was trying to process what I was hearing. This wasn't like Mulan. Surely I was dreaming. I wasn't sure whether or not to be angry or embarrassed. _Imagine what she's saying behind your back...._ Anger flared within me. _The man doesn't brush his teeth without a backup plan...._

"I just didn't realize there was much sitting on top of them!" she continued. A horrible feeling twisted in my gut. _Betrayel...._

"Except for that garlic breath. That boy can peel paint!" My anger flushed into embarrassment, and I clapped my hand over my mouth. The pain twisted deeper. I had never taken pain well. _It is better to be angry than to be weak. You must never show your emotions to your soldiers. You must be their leader, not their object of pity._

I exploded from my tent. "That's enough! Where is she?" I seethed, marching off to where I knew she was stationed.

"Mulan!" I yelled. She turned from where she sat perched upon a rock. Her eyes were innocent and confused.

"Why hello, General, out on night manuever?" she teased. _Discuss this calmly and rationally. You need to ask her to explain. Remember what happened last time you just blew up?_

"Hard head?" I hissed. "Brushing my teeth?" She blinked.

"Um...Is something wrong?" I burst.

"I heard you, Mulan. Every word." _That boy can peel paint! _I clapped my hand over my mouth again. She raised an eyebrow.

"Every.....word of what?" she said, her voice steady and calm.

"Don't play coy! I saw you outside my tent!" _Calmly and rationally! You've barely slept the past few days. You're not thinking straight!_

Mulan narrowed her eyes. "What? I haven't left my post!" she cried.

"Then I suppose you weren't _gossiping_ about me with the princesses?" my voice was getting louder and louder. I needed to calm down, but my over-tired mind was slow and uncomprehensive. Mulan looked at me with humour in her eyes.

"Shang? Did that dip in the river get you waterlogged?" she joked. "And... why are you talking with your hand over your mouth?" I hadn't realised I still was, but I continued anyways.

"I wouldn't want to _peel your paint!_" I hissed. Turning on my heel, I marched away from her. _Don't say something else you'll regret._

"And next time, don't leave your post!" I yelled before storming off. _Nice.... really nice, Shang._ I burst into my tent, clenching my fists in frustration. How could she say that? Did she really feel that way? I knew I could be..... _by the book_, but that was how I was raised! I had once grown distracted while on an order from my father, and I was severly punished. I had worn the bruises in same for a week. Perhaps it seems a little harsh, but I was a well-behaved, at least, as well-behaved as a four-year-old boy could be. I had been disciplined during my childhood, as well as the rest of my life. You didn't disobey orders. You didn't do anything but what you were told. You didn't get off task, and you certainly didn't _wing it._

As I paced in the tent, I felt my anger start to fade. And it was replaced by guilt. I had just gone and yelled at her. I hadn't considered that maybe it had all been a dream.... I sighed. A dream. Of course. It must have been a dream. Mulan was the most loyal person I knew. She had always followed my orders. She had jumped off of a _cliff_ to save my life. And here I was, angry for something that couldn't possibly be Mulan. I was an idiot.

She was probably still angry with me. I would be, if someone accused me of those things. I would talk to her in the morning. I would tell her that I had been completely irrational for assuming such things. I hoped she would understand. And I pulled the blanket to my chest, praying that my dreams stayed free of nightmares.

* * *

**So, I tried to justify Shang, but I have no idea if I can actually do that... so reviews would be nice? Am I doing something right? Any favourite parts, request, improvements, etc?**


	7. Ying and Yang

Paper lanterns swayed over my head. The cheers grew louder and louder. The crowd seemed to be getting larger and larger. Low, blurred voices floated through the air. Every motion seems to blur together, like the smearing of ink on parchment; leaving ghostly trails for seconds longer than the moving figures. The road was shaking, and the people crowded nearer.

"Shang! Shang!" And suddenly the world hit me with a force that almost knocked me from my feet, or rather my horse. I was riding through the Imperial Palace; the streets bursting with an admiring crowd. Mulan was now riding beside me, looking at me with pleading eyes. The kind I had come to know. The kind that I had seen on the mountain, when I had left her.

"Shang! The Huns are alive! They're in the city!" What?

"You don't belong here, Mulan. Go home." I was shocked at the venom in my voice. These words were not my own.

"Shang, I saw them in the mountains! You have to believe me!" she begged. I do! I do believe you!

"Why should I?" I scoffed. This was my nightmare. My biggest mistake, being lived over and over again. I had to see myself turn away from her when she was so obviously right. Cymbols clanged together in the background; citizens roared.

Why else would I come back?" she asked. "You said you could trust Ping? Why should Mulan be any different?" Crash!

I woke with a cry of surprise. Once again, my tent was empty. I sighed in relief. I wasn't in the Imperial City. I wasn't loosing Mulan all over again. But then what woke me up? I jumped up and hurriedly threw on my robes. Grabbing my saber, I pushed open the tent flap to see.....nothing. The camp was empty. Too empty.

"Where are the guards?" I whispered to myself. But if they were gone..... "The princesses!" I broke into a run, charging across the camp and flinging myself into their tent. It was empty. Except for, of course, a porcelain pot, which my foot caught, sending me sprawling onto the floor. With a grunt, I shot up and shoved the pot back on the dresser. My heart pounded with horror. Where was everyone? Where was Mulan? Was she alright? Had something happened? Had someone invaded, and I hadn't heard? Images of her, broken, bleeding, dead, flashed through my mind. I knew that my first priority should have been the princesses, but my mind could not release it's thoughts of Mulan.

I heard a crunch, and my eyes flicked downwards. A paper clung to my foot, even as I attempted to shake it off.

When nothing seemed to work, I grabbed the piece of parchment.

Father,  
I know that you will not understand this, but I must leave.  
I cannot return, in the simple reason that I cannot marry  
someone I do not love. I accepted this marriage, but now,  
after experiencing love for myself, I am unable to live without  
it. And so, my dear father, I cannot complete this mission.  
I have come to realize that my duty is to my heart....

I growled and clenched the paper in my fists. "My duty is to my heart?" I hissed. Now who does that sound like? Anger boiled throughout me. I crumpled the letter and shoved it into the inner pocket of my robes, then stormed off to Mulan's tent She didn't get it. She never did get it. Didn't she realise the importance of this mission? The fate of our entire country depended on this marriage! She had just saved the country, and now she was to destroy it. I wouldn't let that happen to the country that I loved. To the woman that I loved....

I thought of my mother, her body lying in the streets. The war had raged, my father had left, and because he wasn't there for her. And now it would happen again. The country's hope had run off with.... with.... with those idiots! I was the General now. I would go to war, leaving Mulan behind. She could be captured, or killed, and I wouldn't be able to change it. I wouldn't be able to protect her. She would die, just like my own mother did. Cut down and left on the streets as if she were nothing. I would not let that happen to Mulan. Never.

I approached her tent, and pushed open the side. _Empty. _"Mulan..." I growled. _Where would they go? _And I glanced down the dirt pathway. Lights danced in my vison through the branches of the trees.

I ran to my horse. Quickly untying the lead rope, I prepared my horse, throwing the saddle on it's back and straightening the reins. I jumped on the back of the steed, and galloped off, hoping I could catch them in time.

As I grew closer and closer to the villiage lights, my eyes adjusted to the darkness, and I could make out several figures on a stone bridge. I jerked the reins of my horse, and it screamed in protest. The horse pushed forward. The seven of them were sitting on the steps of the bridge, quietly conversing. As the detail sharpened and I saw Mulan, I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. Although I was almost sure I knew what was going on between the three soldiers and the princesses, I was still relieved that they, and Mulan, were alive and well.

_Not after I get through with them..._ I pulled the horse to a stop and dismounted.

"I'm so sorry to break up your little party," I said through gritted teeth, marching up to the three soldiers. Mulan, always the peacekeeper, descended the stairs.

"Shang, before you jump to conclusions, let me explain the situation." She talked to me as if I was a child, as if I didn't know what was going on. My anger flared.

"Fine," I said, pulling the letter from my robes. "Why don't we start with _this!_" The princess gasped behind us.

"That's mine," she whispered. I unraveled the parchment.

"All yours?" My tone held a mocking note. "Or did you have help?" I gave Mulan a sarcastic sidelong glance. Averting my eyes to the letter, I began to read.

"And so, my dear father, I cannot complete this mission. I have come to realize that my duty is to my heart." I lowered the page. "Now _who_ does that sound like?" I demanded. Mulan flinched at my harsh words.

"Mei never meant to send that letter!" squeaked the youngest princess. I turned to them, diverting my anger.

"Your Highnesses, you swore a vow to be married in Qigong. If your father saw you now, _breaking that vow, _what would he say?" I was hoping that implying the disappointment of their father would have the same effect on them as it did on me. I turned my anger once again.

"You three," I hissed, "escort the Highnesses _back to their tents immediately. _You are to _guard _them. You are **not** to enter their tents. You are **not **to talk to them. _**Not a word. Ever.** _Am I understood?" They bowed their heads and mumbled words of agreement, then lead the princesses back to camp; their heads bowed.

I watched them leave, my hands clenched behind my back; my posture rigid.

"Shang, the problem isn't as bad as it seems," Mulan begged for my understanding. _Do you know how worried I was about you? _I wanted to shout. _Did you know that you nearly destroyed me when I thought of all the things that could have happened to you? Do you know how it felt to wake up and not know where you were? If you were alright? If you were **alive**? You just left! Without even thinking! The problem?_

"The problem, Mulan, is _you_!" I shouted. I immediately regretted my words. _Yes, she had left with the princesses. Yes, she had packed quite a hit. But you, yes, you punched back. _

"What?" Mulan whispered, her voice full of hurt.

"You place your own feelings above everything. Duty. Obligation. _Tradition._ It all means nothing to you!" I yelled, as if I kept saying it, it would be true.

"It means _everything_ to me!" she countered; her eyes narrowing with anger. "My heart tells me my duty and I follow it!" I let out a growl of exasperation and turned so I wouldn't have to see her hurt expression. Or so I told myself. I just didn't want her to see the emotions I could not keep from my face.

She sighed and gently touched my shoulder. "You're a brilliant warrior, Shang. You're brave. You're loyal. But you don't trust your heart." I turned to face her. "Sometimes I wonder if you even have one!" I felt as if I'd been punched in the gut. _No, I've just repressed it. I've just protected myself from ever getting too close to someone so I wouldn't have to feel this pain. The only person I've every gotten close to was murdered before my eyes. I couldn't let that happen again. It would destroy me. And I didn't have a heart? Because I cared so deeply that I couldn't allow myself to care at all?_

But, as always, I could never share these deep emotions. Instead, my voice turned venomous. "This assignment has made it clear. We are _very_ different people. Her eyebrows raised in surprise, but her expression hardened.

"Maybe too different."

"Fine." I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. I turned on my heel and mounted my horse. "We have a mission to complete." I said firmly, and rode away. _Yes, perhaps I don't have a heart, but then why does this hurt so much? _I sighed.

Ying and Yang. They made the heavens and earth. But as I rode away, I wondered how I hadn't seen it before. Ying and Yang; heavens and earth; sun and rain. But so different, that they had fought themselves into being pushed apart. Permantly.

* * *

**Poor Shang! :( I would love to hear your opinions on how I'm doing on Shang's point of view! I find the biggest thing I hear is that Shang was "a jerk" in the second movie, so I tried to justify it... Not sure how this is going, though. But c'mon? Telling someone they don't have a heart? Harsh, Mulan. Harsh. **


	8. Drowning

The world was dark. At least, my world was. We all rode in silence through the mountains; heads bowed. Early morning clouds stirred in the air. We would be in Qigong by evening without any more _incidents_. But then what? Mulan and I went our separate ways? We never saw each other again? She would get married, continue on with her life, and I would....? I really didn't have a plan. Not at this point. And not having a plan scared me.

I almost let out a humourless laugh. Mulan had noted that I refused to _wing it_. That I always had a plan, and that I needed to let go. Little did she know, she _was_ my plan. And I had let go.

The soft clopping of hooves quickened, and grew louder. I looked to my side, and my eyes caught Mulan's. Her expression was one I couldn't read. Anger? But I could feel myself start to break down, and I averted my gaze. We had reached a fork in the road. Literally. And I choose to take a separate path; one in which I could not see Mulan at all past the tall rock. I could hear the dragged footsteps shuffling behind me.

Now that she was gone, I felt the urge to break down, but with the men behind me, I bit back the tears in my eyes. The roads twined together again before us. The four of us merged with Mulan and the princesses. I immediately tried to forget my emotions and focus on the task ahead.

"Keep a sharp eye," I called to the three men. "This is bandit country." I rode ahead, hoping to avoid another confrontation with Mulan. As I grew farther away, I heard the men begin to converse, loudly enough for the princesses to hear. I knew what they were doing. They were discussing the princesses loud enough for them to hear, but not technically talking "to" them.

The princesses laughed and smiled. If possible, this made me feel even worse. I could see how much they cared for each other; the way they looked at each other. I would give anything for Mulan to look at me like that again.

I turned away, pulling the half of the Ying and Yang pendant from around my neck. How did this happen? How did we go from loving each other so deeply to being unable to even look each other in the eyes? Maybe it had been my fault. I hated myself for the things that I had said, the things I had done. But now? It didn't seem to matter. All that mattered was it was over.

I wished I could say that it wasn't our fault, but I knew that it wasn't just the universe that was to blame.

"Shang!" I turned. _Mulan! _I pulled my horse to a stop, just as an arrow embedded itself into the rock a few centimeters from my eyes. "It's an amubush!" Mulan cried.

"Save the princesses!" I cried to the soldiers. The three were lead by the men while I turned to face the invaders.

"Shang!" Mulan called beside me. "I've got your back." The first words we've spoken to each other since our fight, and she was pledging her loyalty. _Duty. Obligation. Tradition. It all means nothing to you! _I coudn't have been more wrong.

I dodged the blows of two of the bandits, avoiding the enormous saber that crashed to the ground and the fist of another. While they were both finishing their downswing, I jumped and my feet collided with their jaws. A third man turned on me, and I ducked to avoid his swing. He was uncoordinated, but his attacks were powerful. I embedded my fist in his gut, then swung my other hand around and pushed it upwards into his nose. I heard bones break and blood trickled from his nose as he hit the ground.

I sensed Mulan beside me. "The princesses!" she cried. We broke into a run, charging full speed towards the remaining bandits. We got there just in time to see the largest man throw Princess Mei over his shoulder and disappear into the weaving rock walls.

"Yao!" she screamed. I knew the feeling of wanting to do anything humanly possible, and possibly more, to save someone you love. I pushed my palm gently to Yao's chest.

"Hold them off!" I ordered. I turned to Mulan, who had just shoved a man away with the flat of her foot. "Let's go." We followed the men past the rock and onto a rather rickity looking bridge. If I had believed she would have listened to me, I would have told Mulan to wait at the end. But we both pushed forwards onto bridge, avoiding broken wooden panels.

"Help me!" screamed the princess. The men could tell we were fast approaching, because they tossed Princess Mei aside and dropped her to the swaying bridge, and escaped to the other side. All except for one man, whom I immediately turned to, taking on a fighting stance. The greasy man threw several clumsy punches before shoving me backwards. My foot slid into a space in the rotting wood, giving the man an opening. His fist connected with my chin. I grunted in pain and flew backwards landing hard on the bridge.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned. Mulan hovered over me, shooting out her hand to help me up.

"Shang? Are you alright?" I grimaced and gently touched my throbbing jaw. Wincing, I nodded my head. She let out a breath and gave a small smile. We both snapped back into warrior-mode, turning to face the bandits.

Mulan took a step forward, and I stuck my arm out to stop her, just as the man brought down his sword on the rope, snapping them in half. The edge of the bridge slanted, and we tumbled back and forth trying to steady ourselves. At least, until, another cord was cut, and we slid from the bridge and fell through the air towards the threatening waters below.

Mulan's hand gripped my wrist, and I held hers back. We jerked to a stop. Her hand had closed around the piece of dangling rope, holding us up. She was visibly in pain, being stretched apart between me and where her fingers gripped the string. I hung in the air like bait; an offering to the anger waters beneath us. I heard the rope snap, and we plunged downwards once again. But the other end of the rope held up, and we pulled to a stop again. But I could see the fraying fibers.

The bridge creaked and groaned. Mulan gritted her teeth against the heavy load. "Shang! Hold on!" I gazed back up at the fraying rope.

"It won't hold us both," I whispered. Mulan's expression turned to one of horror.

"It will! It will, Shang," she begged. As if trying to prove her wrong, the bridge groaned in disagreement. The rope thinned.

"Mulan," I whispered. I had made my decision. "I'm sorry." _For everything. For fighting with you, for getting you into this, for hurting you. For leaving you on the mountain... everything._

And I let go. But she gripped my wrist harder. "Please!" she cried. But the effort made her palms slick and moist, and I felt my palm slip through her fingers. And I felt myself falling. Mulan screamed after me, but it was soon swallowed by the wind that rushed around me. I felt myself silently bidding her goodbye. I felt the cool waters crash into me with a force that made my enitre body scream with agony.

And then I felt nothing at all.

* * *

**Again, since you all know what happens, it's not much of a cliff hanger. I'm hoping you guys like this, since I've heard so many people say how disappointing the second movie was. Feedback, anyone?**


	9. Not So Different

I was floating. Cool wind swirled around me. And silence. Only silence. The quiet was around me, but it didn't seem to penetrate into me. I was one with my surroundings. But one by one, memories began to seep through my mind and into the air around me.

_My name is Mulan. I did it to save my father!_

_You said you trust Ping! Why should Mulan be any different?_

_You have saved us all._

_Dear Mulan..._

_You are your father's son._

_Ying and Yang._

_To share the burden, you must work together, as the sun and the rain._

_Your only duty is to the Emperor._

_It all means nothing to you!_

_You don't trust your heart. Sometimes I wonder if you even have one._

_We are very different people._

_Maybe too different._

_Hold on!_

_Mulan. I'm sorry._

Mulan! My mind became saturated with memories, pulling me away from my isolated mind and back into my body. My chest was pulling in a sharp, puncturing pain. My eyes fluttered open. Light danced above my head in soft waves. That was, until, the water broke and rippled; dark shapes dangeled in front of me. My lungs were expanding rapidly, and with my last ounce of disappearing strength, I reached out and grabbed the shadows.

To my surprise, my fingers closed around a solid object. I was pulled upwards, but jerked back to the sandy bottom. I looked down. My robe was caught on a discarded piece of dirftwood. I tried to pull it free, but my energy was evaporating quickly. Finally, I shrugged out of the shredded robe and was pulled from the depths of my watery grave. I coughed and gasped for air, and I was pulled backwards onto the grassy shore. Hovering over my head was my horse, and I gave a small smile. I patted it's nose. "Good horse," I whispered, and collapsed back onto the grass.

Once my breathing evened and my blazing chest cooled, I managed to sit up and take an inventory of my body. No broken bones, although every inch of my body ached with agony at movement. My clothes were ragged. The action of pulling myself to my feet took several excruciating minutes, and I almost couldn't continue mounting the horse. But I knew Mulan would most likely think I had parished, and I needed to find her. I had to.

After several minutes of trying to find a path, I found my energy draining and my back start to curve over the neck of the horse. I needed to find them. And fast. And suddenly, the Palace of Qigong broke through the tip of the treetops, sitting proudly on a towering hill. A very long ride.

As the horse pushed up to the crest of a small hill, I began to hear voices.

"Mulan said she was gonna finish the mission no matter what." _Mulan? Where was she?_

"But how can she without us?" questioned what sounded like Princess Mei. _But if the princesses are here...._ And it hit me. Utter horror.

"By taking your place," I blurted out loud. The six jumped and turned to face me. I must have been quite a picture, my clothes ragged, my hair hanging around my shoulder. But they ran towards this stranger anyways, laughing and smiling. I gave a small grin, but couldn't help the horrible feeling that consumed me.

Mulan was getting married. I knew we had planned to go our seperate ways, but I still cared. I still loved her. And I would not let this happen. I would not make her marry someone that she didn't love; let alone didn't even know. It was wrong and unjust. And it took someone I loved to have to experience it to make me realize. She was right. She had known all along that it was a terrible thing. Maybe we weren't as different as I had first thought.

"Mulan was right," I sighed to the princesses and the men. "No one should have to marry someone they don't love." They eached looked unsurprised by my confession.

"I'm going to Qigong."

"We're going with you." The eldest princess's voice was steady and determined. I shook my head.

"No, you're not. Stay here." And I kicked my heels against the side of the horse and rode towards the Palace.

I knew that if the princesses came, they would either be forced to marry, or Mulan would. If they stayed, I might be able to work something out. But what would I say? How does someone convince the Emperor of another country to not capture the love of their life in marriage and at the same time, try to find a system to erase the threat of war that lingered between two countries and could destroy us all?

I sighed. I wouldn't be able to come up with a plan. It would take me at least an hour to ride up to the Palace, and nightfall was already beginning to set. I guess I would have to figure this out without a plan. I laughed to myself, although this situation was anything but humourous. _The man doesn't brush his teeth without a backup plan! _Perhaps not, but I was saving Mulan, and an entire nation, without one, let alone a backup.


	10. I Object

The night was cast overhead like a dark omen. The Palace loomed over my head; the roof tops piercing the clouds.

Thoughts of how I could possibly get past the Palace gates without getting thrown out or killed soaked into my head, but as I approached, I saw that the gates were wide open; welcoming me.

The wedding! The heir to the Mongolian throne was about to be married. People would be arriving from everywhere to witness this. Of course the gates were open! As I attempted to manuver my horse through the throng of people, I saw that everyone was dressed in their finest robes. There was a buzz of excitement that floated through the air. The crowd seemed to be surrying all in one direction.

I followed them down a cobblestone path. It got harder and harder to move through the busy streets as it became more and more concentrated with wedding-goers. I was getting antsy. What if I couldn't reach her in time? And just as the thought passed through my head, the crowd slowed to a hault. I growled in frustration. _Excellent._

I jerked the reins of the horse so it gave a cry of surprise and protest. The group in front of me jumped to the side, allowing me to move several feet forwards. This was getting me nowhere. And I the crowd fell silent. I strained to try and see her, but I could only two people standing at the steps of the Palace.

She was absolutely beautiful. She wore trailing red robes and a traditional headpiece. She approached her young groom, who appeared to be about twelve. The Emperor's voice boomed throughout the yard.

"My people," he called, holding up two golden flutes of what I assumed was white wine. "The Golden Dragon of Unity, who guides us in all we do, today santifies a union that will be a blessing to all of Qigong!" The crowd roared; my blood boiled. They each took the slender glass. Mulan gazed around the cheering crowd. I prayed she would see me, but her eyes passed unseeing thorugh the throng of people, then returned to her goblet. I silently cursed.

Looking around, I saw that I was hopelessly encased. I needed a plan. Now.

But the Emperor of Qigong was tying a sash around the two flutes of liquid, joining them. It would take merely seconds to unite them in marriage.

"Mulan!" I screamed, but my voice was drowned in the sea of people. She looked at her future groom. If I didn't do something now, she would surely see me as she departed down the carpet with her new husband. To their honeymoon. The very thought made my skin crawl. He wouldn't lay a hand on her.

I frantically searched my torn shirt, but I held nothing that could help. An idea sparked within me. Slowly; praying; I reached into the underside of the saddle, into a leather pocket that I had attached myself. My fingers touched the lethal blades.

I pulled the circular razor into the open air. It glinted dangerously; each tip pointing like dragons teeth.

The Emperor stepped aside to exhibit the couple. _I don't think so._ And I reared back. The blade left my fingertips and hurtled through the air, sailing straight and smooth; clearly displaying the hours I had spent tossing them at trees in my childhood. It sliced through the silk ribbon, and it fluttered to the ground.

The crowd gasped and parted, they're eyes falling on me. The horse side-stepped nervously, but I tried to contain my grip as Mulan's eyes met mine. Her mouth curled into a wide smile. I kicked my horse forward to the front steps, then vaulted off of it. I dashed up the steps; holding out my arms to her. She gripped my hands, and I pulled her close.

"You're alive!" she breathed, tears welling in her eyes. I smiled. The world disappeared around me.


	11. Golden Dragon of Unity?

"I couldn't let you get married without me." Something in her lifeless eyes sparked. _I love you. I still want to marry you. We can work through this. We will work through this._

"General! This is outrageous!" cried the Emperor, shoving us apart. I was being pulled away from Mulan. Again. I clenched my hands into fists; the rational voice trying to sooth me. _You can't hit the Emperor, Shang. Sure, he'd look better with your fist between his eyes, but you can't hit him. _

"You will leave at once!" I was shoved back again. I glared at the short, raging man.

"I'm not going anywhere," I said between gritted teeth. Mulan gasped and came behind me, her hand across my chest as if to pull me back. I took comfort at her closeness.

"What are you doing?" I almost laughed. _Does it look like I know what I'm doing?_

"I don't know!" I replied. "I'm _winging it!_"

"How dare you trample upon this sacred ceremony!" he screamed. I didn't even blink.

"I won't let Mulan do this!" I argued.

"It is not up to you!" The Emperor leaned his round face closer to mine, trying to look threatening.

"I won't let the woman I love marry someone she doesn't even _know_!" I try to keep my voice calm. "She deserves to marry someone she loves." I look back at her. "Even if it's not me."

The Emperor looked flabbergasted, but quickly caught back on to his words. "She knows her duty. To this country. To her country!"

"My lord, I love Mulan. And I don't care what the rules say. If she'll have me, I intend to marry her right here." I turn to her and take her soft hands in mine. She looks up at me and nods. "Right now." This time, I speak to Mulan.

"Insulant guards!" growls the Emperor. "Seize him!" I feel strong hands clench onto my arms, and I'm dragged away from her.

"Shang!"

"Mulan!" I scream reaching for her hand. _No no no no no!_

And a wall of fire crashes at me feet. I give a cry of surprise and jump backwards. The sweltering heat filters out, and I see Mulan, looking just as surprised, standing across from me. I try to take a step forward, now that the hands of the guards have mysteriously disappeared, when a voice booms from above.

"Yo! What's with all this _drama?_" The crowd gasps. I gaze upwards, but see only a stone statue. My gaze falls to everyone, anyone, who knows what they're supposed to be looking at.

"The Golden Dragon of Unity!" cries the Emperor. "He lives!" The stout man falls to his knees, and the mass of people follow. My eyes turn upwards again, and I hear the demanding voice that drifts from the statue.

"Aw, you're _dang right _I live! So you best drop your dumpling-eating behind down and tell me why we ain't busting out the vows here!" I raised my eyebrow and flicked my gaze to Mulan. _The_ mischievous look fluttered into her eyes. The one I'd come to know. And fear.

I couldn't explain this mystical phenomenon, but I was certain I wasn't truely witnessing the wrath of the Dragon of Unity. Unless, of course, the sacred god had a rather...._interesting_.... vocabulary.

The Emperor stuttered in response. "But, Your Greatness! General Li Shang is not the son of Qigong!" Another flush of firy rained down upon the steps, causing the Emperor to dance behind me; the flames licking his heels.

"Silence!" screamed the statue. "_I _am the Golden Dragon of Unity. And _I_ decide who to unify." The Emperor cowers behind me. "My all-seeing eyes peer into the very heart of China, and I've never seen two people more right for each other than this lovely couple right here. Mulan and Shang." His voice, whoever "he" was, turned soft and heartfelt. I smiled, still incredibly confused, but pull Mulan towards me anyways. Unlike my fears, she follows my lead, and rests her head on my shoulder.

The crowd roars, drowning out any of his words. "Now I _command_ you to proceed at once!" The Emperor steps from behind me and falls to his knees.

"Yes, Your Greatness! As you command!"

The Dragon continued. "Now, lets get down to business! Mulan do you love Shang?" She opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off. "Of course you do! Shang do you love Mulan?" I knew not to reply, but I just gazed down at her. She was absolutely beautiful. I pulled her closer, as if I would lose her if she strayed to far. "Yes, very much. Moving on! By the power vested in me," a soft mumble floats down; incomprehensible. "I now pronounce you man and wife." I smiled broadly.

"You got anything to say about it, Doublechin?" Another fall of flames poured onto the ground. The Emperor stuttered, then finally shook his head. The crowd roared. I faintly heard the "Dragon" continue on, saying something about the princesses, but I wasn't listening.

"Mulan, I'm sorry," I whispered. She looked up at me her eyes big.

"There's nothing to forgive." Her words echoed that of our early fight. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her upper back. She tilted back her head, and her ceremonial headpiece fell to the ground, releasing her from her ties to Mongolia. And our lips met. I was home.

* * *

**Only one more chapter.....**


	12. Mushu?

The night air was cool and crisp. I could feel Mulan's breath on the back of my neck; her arms tight around my waist. I sighed in content. I was married. Slowly, I removed one of Mulan's hands from my side, and pressed my lips to her knuckles. A rush of air rushed through my hair. I smiled, and her hand fell back down. She rested her head on my shoulder.

"Tired?" I whisper, straining my head backwards, but I cannot see any more than the red of her robes. She let out a mumble of words and burrows her face farther into my back. I laughed. Mulan grumbles and tugs at my middle, showing her annoyance. I laugh again.

"We're almost there," I whisper. The stars stretched out before us, and we reached a small tree beside the river. It's branches bend towards the ground, the trunk twisted and mangled. I pull the horse to the side of the road. Mulan sits up a bit straighter, allowing me to gently climb off of the horse. I gingerly reach up and help her down, cradling her in my arms. She sighs and lays her head against my chest.

"Are you awake?" I murmer. She sighs.

"Yes. Now I am. If you'd let me sleep....." her words drifted off. I smiled and placed her beneath the tree before tying the lead rope of the horse to a thick, low branch.

I sat beside my dozing wife and pulled her into me; stroking her hair. "Mulan, I'm so sorry. I never should have said those things to you." _It all means nothing to you! The problem, Mulan, is you!" We are very different people. _

She lets out a breath and pulled away. I froze, until she looked up at me, her eyelids drooping, but her eyes bright and alert. "Shang..." she sighed heavily. "It is me who should apologize. I am so sorry." I wrap my arms around her tightly and rest my chin on the top of her head.

"We are both at fault. I know we are very different, but we can work through it. We have to work through it. I love you." A bright look came across her face, the moonlight sparkled in her eyes.

"Not as different as I thought!" I give her a curious look. She grabs my hands. "I have to tell you something, Shang." My breath catches in my throat. _What could she possibly say. _Oh no. I nodded; unable to do anything else.

"Okay," she took a deep breath. "We aren't as different as I first thought, because, you see, my guardian was trying to break us up." I gape.

"Your....your _guardian?"_ She nods.

"Well, when I ran away to join the army, to _you_, my ancestors sent me a guardian to look after me. Mushu." _Mushu. Mushu the Guardian._ I roll the name around on my tongue before nodding at her to continue. And she did.

She told me about meeting him, creating the name Ping, her training, everything. She told me of his role in saving China, and I watched as her eyes narrowed as she explained to me his attempts to seperate us to keep his position amongst the ancestors. She also explained his role as the "Golden Dragon of Unity."

"And that's what I was trying to tell you before the bandits attacked. But you let go! And I'll never forgive you for that! And I'll never repay you for doing it." When her words died out, she slumped forwards, her body taking on a appearance of exhaustion. I gaped, trying to comprehend this rush of information.

The entire time, I had caught her odd conversations to seemingly no one, it was Mushu. The entire time, I had thought that it was us that perhaps were not meant to be together.

She let out something between a dry sob and a sigh. "You don't believe me!" This snapped me out of my daze.

"I do! Of course I do! It explains everything!" I pull her closer to me and lean against the trunk of the tree, letting her rest her head on my chest. _Our fights, our misfortune, our seperation! It wasn't just us! _

_"_Please say something," she whispered. "Are you angry with me?" I sigh and rest my cheek on the crown of her head.

"Of course not. I'm angry with _Mushu_. And yet I owe my life to him." I sighed again. "Who knows what would have happened if he hadn't been there when the Huns attacked. I could have lost you forever. He brought you to me. And then he tore us apart. And then he saved us all." _I haven't been this confused about someone since I discovered my soldier was Mulan on the mountain._

She sighed and drew herself closer. "I promise not to keep anything else from you. I love you, Shang." I smiled and lean down, gently kissing her.

"I love you." She smiles and kisses my jaw, then lays her head back onto my chest.

"Now, if you don't let me sleep, you're going to regret it tomorrow." I laugh and wrap my arms around her. We lay there for several minutes until I see the silhouettes of the princesses and the three men approach from the night, riding Mulan's dark horse.

"Mulan?" I gently nudge her. "Mulan, they're here." She groans and hits my chest, but still pushes herself upwards. I help her up, just in time for her to be cornered by the laughing and cheering group. The princesses wrapped their arms around her, thanking her, talking, congratulating. I couldn't help but smile. My wife.

I stood back, letting her have this moment, until I broke through their conversation.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesties, but we must be going. Mongolia is not a safe place to sleep tonight." There are surely some who are against the "Dragon of Unity's" orders. They nod in agreement. Mulan groans. I smile. Her eyelids are growing heavier and heavier. She'll fall from her horse.

"You can ride with me. The princesses can take your horse." I help her onto my steed and she settled against me.

"I was so scared. I thought I'd lost you." Her lips were next to my ear, her chin resting on my shoulder. I reach backwards and grab her hand.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," I whisper back. Her breath grows ragged and, to my surprise, I realize she is trying not to cry. "Mulan, you're overtired. You've been through a lot tonight. A lot these past few days. And it's my fault. But I'll never let you go again. Now sleep. We've got a long ride ahead of us." She nods and rests her cheek on my shoulder.

I wish I could hold her. But she was near, and that's all that mattered.


	13. Return of the Princesses

The corridors echoed with the sound of our feet. I walked shoulder to shoulder with Mulan, the others trailing behind me. We approached the throne room. Mulan and I glanced at each other. _The City is a place of business._ I shove my father's words from my head and lean into Mulan, kissing her gently before entering the room; the smile building on my lips.

The Emperor sat on the dais, his elbow resting on the armrest, his chin in his palm. It was very unlike him. When he saw us enter, he sat up straight, but as his eyes travelled over his daughters, his expression turned into something else. Joy, confusion, worry. We fall to our knees in front of him, and the princesses bow their heads.

He stands up, his eyes widening. "What in the name of the gods is going on, here?" It is I who speaks.

"Your Excellency, please, allow me to explain." He nods and gives a weak motion for me to continue, his eyes never leaving his daughters. And as I explained to him what happened, I watched as his eyes widened more and more. I leave out Mushu, of course. But I can clearly see the suspicion in the Emperor's eyes, although he remains silent. My words die out after I describe the wedding.

He stays silent for several moments, stroking his white beard. "And... The Monglians agreed to the alliance? Without marriage?" I nod and reach into my robes, pulling out a slightly creased parchment letter that bears the Emperor's of Qigong's signature.

His eyes scan the contract, and he finally nods and hands it to one of his servants, waving the boy away. He then descended the dais steps to stand before his daughters.

"You made a vow to your country and your father to marry the sons of Qigong." His voice was firm and disapproving. The princesses looked at their feet in shame. But to my surprise, it is the Emperor's softspoken, dutiful eldest that speaks.

"That was before, Father, we knew what we were sacrificing. I could live a life without love. But now that I've known it," she reaches out and grabs Ling's hand. "I realize all that I would be giving up. And I cannot do it." She holds her father's gaze, neither backing down.

"Please understand," whispered Princess Su, her love's hand on her shoulder. The Emperor's eyes flick to his youngest. He does a double take.

"All of you?" He asks weakly, eyeing the couple. The six of them nod. He sighs, backing away from his eldest, turning to me. I was formally smiling, but my eyes go wide and my back straightens.

"And you! You agreed to this? Disobeying _my_ orders and allowing _your fiancè_ to take their place?" I had no idea how he had discovered my engagement to Mulan, but, after all, he was the Emperor, and had many people travel from all corners of the country. It would reach him eventually.

A look of embarrassment took over my face and I rubbed the back of my neck. "Well, I was, sort of, unconscious at the time." I stuttered. The Emperor, once again, raised his eyebrows, but turned awau and returned to his throne.

"I believe you left out a few details." He motioned for me to continue. So I told him of the bandit attack, the bridge, and my untimely "death." Mulan filled in the details that I missed, due to my lying at the bottom of a river at the time. When we finished, the Emperor remained motionless. He took a deep breath.

"And when you discovered Fa Mulan's plans, you told my daughters to not enter Qigong, even though it would prevent her from having to marry? Someone other than you?" I nod slowly. I wondered what the Emperor was thinking. He was probably wondering who in the name of the gods had he chosen as General. I had jumped off of a cliff, thrown a weapon at the Emperor of Qigong, and disobeyed the Emperor's orders, putting the country in jeopardy, only to return to the Palace and tell him everything. Hmm. Maybe I was crazy.

"It was then I realized that I couldn't allow anyone to marry someone they did not love, or even know." When the words came out of my mouth, it sounded ridiculous. But the Emperor nodded.

"We will discuss _this,_" he motioned to the three soldiers later. "You are dismissed." We all turn to leave. "General?" My gaze turns to Mulan, who shrugs and kisses my cheek before departing with the rest. I approach the dais, waiting until the doors slam shut.

"You put our entire country in jeopardy, as well as your own wife. She could have been married to the prince, if things didn't go in your favour." I nod, wincing as I think of the prince of Qigong touching her with his prepubescent hands. Disgusting.

"I know, Your Majesty," I responded. As a General, I found myself analyzing every possible way I could have handled the situation. I wasn't ashamed of what I had done. I had disobeyed the orders of the Emperor, put my country in danger, and I was satisfied with the way things turned out.

He looked sternly at me. "You don't regret your actions." It was a statement, not a question. I hesitated, but finally nodded.

"No, I don't. I know this sounds... completely uncharacteristic of me, and I know I disobeyed your commands, Sire, but I would not change what I've done." His stare made my hands shake, but I stood my ground, waiting for the blow to fall. _Dishonour....You will be removed from your position....Your father would be ashamed of the man you've become. _

"You are a fortunate man, General, that the gods favoured your actions," he said calmly. I nodded.

"I realize that, Your Excellency." I think of Mulan, waiting for me on the other side of the door. Yes, I might lose my job, but I still had her. And that was enough.

He nodded again. "Then, I suppose I should thank you. You have brought me my daughters, and saved me from doing something I would always regret." My eyes shot upwards.

"I-What?" It was completely inappropriate to say to the Emperor; inacceptable and disrespectful. But the Emperor simply smiled, his eyes sparkling.

"You mean, you _approve?"_ My voice rang with disbelief. He smiled again, the creases in his skin burrowing deep into his face.

"Well, you certainly handled it in a.._unique_ way, but, yes, I must express my gratitude for returning my daughters to me." I gape, unable to comprehend words. I slowly nod and receive a laugh from the Emperor. "And it seems that the _Golden Dragon of Unity_ favours you, too." At this I blush, but shrug, remaining silent.

"Well, your fiancè is waiting." I took that as my dismissal and retreated, my mouth still hanging open. I exited the throne room, walking down the corridors towards the stables. Mulan met me halfway there, surrounded by the princesses and the three men. My thoughts were thick, and the world seemed to move slowly around me. A hand reached out and grabbed my arm, slowing me to a hault. I could faintly make out voices, but couldn't decipher them. I was still the General. I was still married to Mulan. I still kept my head for breaking apart the alliance.

Through no force of my own, I turned and wrapped my arms around her, kissing her deeply. She softened, but gently pulled away.

"That doesn't answer my question."

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "I'm sorry, what question?" She laughed.

"I said, what did he wish to speak to you about?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.

"He....he thanked me, for returning his daughters," I whispered, still confused. She gave a cry of what I could only assume was happiness and jumped into my arms, closing her hands together behind my neck. I laughed and put my arms around her; holding her close. I wouldn't admit it to anyone, but as I held her, I took in everything about her, from her scent to the curve of her back.

"I love you," I whispered. She pulled her head back, but remained in enclosed in my arms.

"I love you, Shang." I smiled and pressed my lips to her cheek. After several moments, I, as usual, am forced to ruin this perfect moment.

"We should probably get going," I say, and she pulls away completely.

"Right. And you can explain to my father why he did not attend our wedding." And with that she turned on her heel and walked off towards the stables. My eyes widened in horror, and I received sympathetic looks from each of the soldiers.

Oh no.

* * *

**So I've decided to extend this story a little further, since I've always wondered what happened with the Emperor and when Shang and Mulan had to tell her family that they were already married... Is there anything else that you guys would like to see? Yes? No? Maybe? No one's reading this anyways? Okay....**


	14. Awkward Silences

The sun was shining brightly; the weights that had burdened me for so long had disappeared. How strange it was to think that only three weeks ago, I had been discussing my marriage plans with a crowd of Mulan's friends and family. How trivial it seemed, now, to think of what had seemed important. _A big wedding? Decorations? Food?_

I almost laughed at my responses. I had wanted a small wedding, a peaceful and private wedding night. Well, I think everyone could agree that didn't exactly happen. I had been wed in front of thousands of people, and I spent my wedding night travelling. _Duty. Obligation. Tradition. It all means nothing to you! _I had said Mulan had no sense of tradition, yet I had sworn my vows in front of strangers, I hadn't even had a honeymoon, or a wedding night for that matter. It made me wonder if anything Mulan and I did would ever be traditional at all.

"Where are you?" I turned at the soft voice to see Mulan looking at me with her eyebrows raised. I realized I had been off on my own thoughts. I smiled.

"Far away," I said, and she laughed.

"We're almost there. I can already see the house." I look up the road and see the Fa residence, standing proud against the flush of green fields. I give a sidelong glance at Mulan, and see she is returning my mischievious look. As if sharing a thought, Mulan and I kick our horses into a desperate charge. Each of us take turns leading, but it is I who pushes through the gates first.

I throw up my hands in triumph. She tries her best to look angry, but is laughing much too hard. Just as I reach up and pull her from her horse, holding her tight and spinning her around, the Fa family exits the house.

"Mulan!" cries her mother. She runs into Mulan's arms.

Her Grandmother laughs. "I see these two haven't killed each other," she joked. Mulan and I glance at each other. _Kill each other?_ We burst out laughing again, this time even harder. Mulan's grandmother raises a brow, but remains silent. Once Mulan and I settle down, they lead us inside and deposit us onto the wooden chairs inside.

"So," asks Fa Li. "How was your journey?" Mulan turns to face me, her expression humourous.

"Uneventful," Mulan shrugs. I smile broadly. Her family looks at us suspiciously.

"We....broke our engagement?" She offered.

"I nearly drowned." I added.

"I was almost married to the prince of Qigong."

"Other than that," I looked at Mulan and took her hand. "Fairly uneventful." Their eyes are wide as saucers. Only Grandmother Fa is smiling.

"Mulan," says Fa Li in a voice that is almost a whisper, but is also full of confusion and humour. "We must prepare dinner." It was a thinly veiled attempt at covering a _we'll discuss this in the kitchen _conversation, but nonetheless, the two women lead Mulan to the kitchen. Before she can disappear into the room, she gives me a look that says _Tell him._ I stifle a groan.

An awkward silence falls over Fa Zhou and I. I writh my hands in my lap, and finally, the silence becomes too much. Fa Zhou, of course, looks comfortable in the quiet. We can hear the voices of the women float from the kitchen; nothing but mumbles and whispers. Suddenly, someone lets out a joy-filled cry, and then there is laughing and delighted squealing. Fa Zhou, who is not a naive man by any stretch, raises a brow.

My chest tightens and I give a weak smile. "I, uh, I suppose I should explain that...." Fa Zhou raises both his brows now. I clear my throat and start.

"Well, Mulan and I, as you know, broke our engagement, for a while, at least." He nods, and I take that as my cue to continue. "Well, our group was attacked, and Mulan thought I had perished, and she was going to marry the prince of Qigong to save the princesses..." I had left much of the important information out, but I wanted to get this over with, "Anyways, when I woke up and discovered she was about to marry, I rode to Qigong to stop her."

Fa Zhou nodded, giving me a look as if he wasn't sure if that was the entire story or not. I awkwardly clear my throat and continue. "Well, I knew that she wouldn't give in to my persuasion unless she had a reason," Fa Zhou smiled; knowing just how stubborn his daughter could be. "And I knew that I loved her more than anything, and, well, we were married. Sort of." I stratched the back of my neck.

Fa Zhou's eyes widened uncharacteristicly, but he regained his composure. "You...you_ married_ her?" I gave a small smile, and nodded weakly. Mulan stuck her head out of the doorway.

"Baba?" she whispered. Her father turned, and behind his back, we exchanged a look. The look on my face must have said it all, because she bit her lip and met her father's gaze.

"You're married." Mulan hesitated, but eventually nodded.

"Yes, we're married." I could only see the back of his head, and it made me agitated. Another moment passes. The chair squeaks as Fa Zhou rises. Mulan steps forward to help him, but then waits until he is on his feet. He wraps his arms around her.

"Congratulations, sweetheart." I sigh loudly and sink into my chair. Mulan laughs and returns her father's hug. They pull away, and he rests his hand on my cheek, then turns to me.

"And you." He walks towards me. Although he limps, his strides are confident and strong. "I suppose I should welcome you to the family, son." He shakes my hand, which is flimsy with shock.

He laughs and pats my shoulder. "And, for further notice, I pray you will tell your wife's family the next time you decide to act on something that will change her entire future? Yes?" I flush with embarrassment and nod. Mulan gives her father a begging glance, which he ignores.

The two women emerge from the kitchen, smiling and giggling, and rush towards us, chattering and talking excitedly. I met Mulan's gaze. Something warm shoots through me.

"We should invite some of the neighbours for a celebratory dinner." This snaps me back, and I feel the positive feeling sinking. Mulan laughs and grabs my arm, bidding her family a short goodbye before dragging me towards the courtyard.

"At least let them be part of our wedding somehow." I sigh and nod.

"I know. It's just.... I hate crowds. And when I'm the focus of attention. But..." I grab her waist and swing her around. She is laughing and trying to pull away, but I hold her fast. "You're the bride!" I laugh. "I doubt they'll even notice if I'm there or not," I tease. She smacks my chest.

"You would leave me to fend for myself?" she glances at me, her bottom lip trembling. I groan and crack, just as she wanted me to.

"Fine," I sigh. She laughs and pecks me on the cheek. We sit on the bench, my head resting on hers, her cheek pressed onto my shoulder. As the sun sinks into the sky, Mulan's family calls us in. I sit in silence, listening to the two women chatter excitedly. Finally Grandmother Fa breaks through the silence.

"So, have you already taken your supplies to the room you two will be sharing?" I choke on my rice, and Mulan blushes.

"Yes," she mumbles while I try to regain my breath. Fa Zhou's expression is unchanged, but I can see the hint of humour in his eyes. _Great..._


	15. Ancestor Prayers

_"Please, we have to go! Please!" She looks at me, her expression filled with exhaustion. She rested her hands on her extended stomach, her breathing sharp and ragged. I touched her arm, and I felt movement within her. Protest. _

_"Well, what do we have here?" The greasy man grabbed her and jerked her away from me. _

_"Don't touch her!" I lunge forward, but am thrown easily to the ground. The man turns to me and sneers. No longer thin and gangly, Shan Yu then grabs his daggar and drags it across her throat, then deposits her onto the ground and stalks away. _

_I scream an animalistic cry of pain, and drop to the street, crawling up to her body. "Wake up," I whisper. "Please don't leave me." Tears raged down my cheeks. "I need you. Please, don't leave me. I love you." And she was gone. I rolled her onto her back. Her eyes were wide open, staring up at me. I gently touch her face, and my ash-covered hands leave a streak down her pure, ivory cheek. I let out a whimper, then a scream of agony and fury. _

_"Mulan!" I bury my face into my wife's body; a shell that once held her soul._

I sat up in bed, sweat sticking to my chest and matting my hair. I felt Mulan stir beside me.

"Shang?" I slipped from the bed and quickly dressed, leaving the small room feeling slightly claustrophobic. Bursting from the house and into the yard, I let the cool air brush my skin.

I had never been one to have nightmares. I sat on the stone bench and bury my face in my hands. But closing my eyes only brought flashes of the horrible dream, and I was forced to my feet once again, restlessly pacing. _Why now? Why when Mulan was safe, close to me? _I started to walk, to anywhere; seeking comfort. I wanted to find Mulan, but this, this would show my weakness, my fears.

So, I chose the coward's way out. As I walked, I found myself climbing the stone steps of the family's ancestor's house. My own had been destroyed in the war that took my village. I kneeled at the base of the tablets. _Keep Mulan safe. Isn't that what you're here for?_ I found no comfort in talking to the ancestors. I sighed and bent my head in defeat.

"Are you not supposed to pray to your own ancestors?" I jumped and looked up. Mulan's stout grandmother stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and her brows raised. I gave a weak smile.

"Seeing as my family tablets are miles away from here...." I trailed off. She gave a small smile.

"Why are you up so late? Or early, I suppose. Bed not comfortable?" I blush deeply, making the old woman look even more pleased with herself.

"No. I mean, yes. I... I just..." I sighed and looked down. "I couldn't sleep." To my surprise, she walked right over and sat down in front of me, her legs crossed.

"So, when are you taking Mulan back to your family?" I freeze. I could lie, say my family lives much to far away, but she is much too smart for that, and I know she will see right through me. So, by default, I decide to tell the truth.

"My parents have both....passed on," I whisper. Her mocking appearance disappears. I fear the pitiful look, the sad look people get when they hear this, but are secretly rejoicing that it wasn't them; their parents. But she looks sympathetic.

"I am sorry," she says, and I believe it. I wave her off and give a small smile.

"So I suppose we are staying in your village, then," I offer, trying to change the subject. She nods slowly.

"You have no family? What of your family home? And village?" I sighed. This was a long and complicated story. One in which I did not share.

"It was destroyed during times of war. It has been rebuilt, but," I shifted uncomfortably on the stone floor, "I have never been comfortable returning. It is not my home. Not anymore."

She nods again, and I wonder why I am opening up to her like this. It is something in her eyes. Trust, intelligence, truth. "Where is your home?" It is an innocent question, but seems to be slightly personal for two strangers. But I can truthfully answer. Without hesitation.

"Wherever Mulan is." A flicker of...._something_....flashes in her eyes. I look down the path at Mulan's house. She has lived here for her entire life. This is her home. But I have never had that. My childhood home is an empty, rotting building. It holds no soul. No family. A house, but no longer a home. I wished I had some_where_ to return to.

"Shang?" I look up from my daze. Mulan leans in the doorway, still in her nightclothes. A questioning, mischievious look is in her eyes. I realize I am sitting on the floor of the temple, crosslegged, talking to her grandmother, in the middle of the night.

The old woman rises. I attempt to help her, but she rolls her eyes and swats me away. I smile, and so does Mulan. The elderly woman gives us one last look before talking off down the path, whistling. Mulan comes to sit beside me, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Aren't you supposed to pray to your own ancestors?" I laugh.

"You are more like your grandmother than you know." She laughs, too. Turning to face me, she strokes my cheek.

"Why are you up so late?" I shrug it off as a bad dream, but she does not seem entirely convinced. But she nods anyways.

"I wonder if Mushu has been removed, yet," she wonders out loud. I look up into the rafters, but see nothing.

"Perhaps. Have you talked to him?" She lets out a frustrated sigh.

"No. I think he's avoiding me. I wonder if he's angry with me. But there's nothing I can do." She gives a small smile. "I am your family now." The very thought makes my heart sing. I had a family. And I would do anything to protect my family. I had already had one taken away from me. I knew Mulan felt guilt because of Mushu. She had lost a close friend. And suddenly, a though came into my mind without any warning or rational thinking.

"I'm going away for a few days."


	16. Rubble

**Well, apparently, I added the wrong chapter... lol whoops, that's embarrassing... so here's the actual chapter... ;)**

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The house seemed to have an unearthly glow. The sun had disappeared behind it, causing rays of light to burst from the sides. I stood in it's wake. I had arrived when the sky had been bright and blue. I would not enter this place. It pained me too much. Taking a deep breath, I buried my hands in the deep pockets of my robes and trudged to the back of the building.

The yard was large and unkept, the grasses reached up towards my thighs. I pushed through the ocean of greenery. Although it had been many years, I could still see the areas of war where the grass had been unable to regrow. As I moved to the edge of the land, I could see the charred remains of my family temple. The ghosts of memory seemed to flood through the yard, and I could almost see the rogue men trudge through, setting flame to the grass with a torch.

With a blink, the figures were gone. I shook my head to clear it, and moved closer to the remains. Weeds had overgrown the wood and stone, and I crouched before it. I pawed through the rubble, each stone and board searing my skin as if it were still ablaze. I could only see broken tablets and charred wood, nothing that could help me. I recalled the temple as being fairly large, even for an adult.

I pulled at roots and weeds, plucked over-grown plants from the ground. I had torn through the entire broken temple. Nothing. With a hiss of defeat, I sat back, removing myself from the pile.

The stones were destroyed. Every one of them. My journey had been pointless. I could recall when my grandfather had died. The stone we had gotten engraved in his name had been crumbled. My memory sparked, lighting a fire in the dark of my mind. _How did I not think of this before?_

Twilight was beginning, and many shops were already closing. I tied the reins of my horse the the hitch outside and entered the small building. It smelled of polish and charcoal. The thin, wiry, ancient man at the counter looked up as I enter.

"I apologize. We are just closing up." I sigh and remove the canvas pouch from my robes and set it on the counter. The coins chime together, and, as if a siren's song, draws the man forward. He pockets the pouch and smiles at me.

"What can I do for you?" I smile in return. Reaching into my robes, I give the man a piece of parchment. Through the candlelight, I can see my own neat, percise writing.

The man nods. "I need it small; portable." He nods again at my request.

"It'll be ready in three to four weeks." A wicked smile crosses my face. I dig into my robes and pour another plethora of coins onto the wood surface. He wipes his hands over the counter, sweeping up the gold.

"One week."


	17. Weight To Carry

****

**Well, I wanted to do something a little different, so I decided, for a change, to post a chapter that actually belonged to this story! I hope you like the change of pace ;)**

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I casually enter the small, wooden shop. It is deserted except for the extremely creased man behind the counter. His white hair is pulled tightly behind his head in a bun, and he wore a workman's clothes and apron. He smiles when he sees me.

"Ah, General," he says, wiping his hands on his apron. I nod towards him and approach the counter. He disappears into the back of the shop. I gaze around the shop, casually resting my hands in the pockets of my robes. He comes back out of the back, holding a cloth-wrapped package. It thuds on the counter. I pull it towards me and gently unwrap the layers of material.

The stone is smooth and highly polished. I run my fingers over the cool surface, tracing each character imprint. It is exactly what I wanted. Smiling at the man, I pull out the other half of the gold and set it on the counter.

I heave the stone off of the wooden table. It is heavy, and I grunt with the force. I pray it won't slow the horse down too much, because I have to get back to the Fa residence in three short days. Not much room for error, but it was neccessary. There would be hell to pay if I missed my own marriage celebration.

I moved into the sun and gently removed the gauze again. The light shimmered off of the rock. I reread each character several times over, memorizing each word.

_General Li Chan  
Leader of the Imperial Army of China  
Died Bravely_

With a sigh, I rewrapped the gravestone and packed it into the satchel. The horse snorted in protest and turned to face me, shooting me a look. I pretended to ignore it and mounted. It side-stepped in protest, and I tugged on the reins. And I kicked my heels into the side of the horse, never to return.

...

The sky was thin and watery. It was streaked with red, trailing like fingers. I rode up the dirt path, reaching the house just as the sun set over it. After putting the horse into the old stable, I slung the satchel over my shoulder, supressing a grunt from the weight.

Mulan met me at the door.

"I didn't think you would be home in time!" she cried, throwing her arms around me. I laugh and set the satchel down with a thud, returning her greeting.

"I couldn't let you celebrate our marriage without me." I look over at Mulan's grandmother, ensuring she's distracted. "Besides, I don't think your grandmother would even notice if I was absent." I felt a sharp smack on the back of my head as the old woman casually walked by. I laughed again, rubbing my scalp as if it were throbbing. When I turned back to Mulan, she was already lifting my bag.

She grunted. "Shang, what is in here?" I take the satchel from her.

"You'll see..." I say mysteriously, before brushing past her. She smacks my arm playfully.

"I wouldn't have been in such a rush to return if I'd have known I would have come home to _this_!" I tease, motioning to my arm and head. She laughs and gently kisses my cheek.

"I'm glad you're home." I smile at her.

"Me too."

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**Another short one. At least I have the right chapter this time...**


	18. A New Life

I could hear the buzzing of voices outside my door. I was tempted to lock myself up, stay here until they left. Unfortunately, being the groom, I didn't have the luxery of that option. I sighed and shoved the cap onto my head. It was heavy and had a large, rectangular brim. I looked like... like something I was not. A knock at the door dragged me from my thoughts. My eyes refocused in the mirror, and I saw my beautiful bride behind me. She was leaning in the doorway.

"I was wondering where you were," she teased. "I thought you might have ran away." I look down at myself, then at Mulan.

"Leave? Never. Besides, I'm waiting for you to decide you made a mistake and run off." I am still talking to Mulan's reflection. The look on her face makes me panic. But when I turn to face my real wife, I see no trace of doubt in her expressionl. I sigh in relief. Mirrors always distort the world, make it backwards. She comes and wraps her arms around me.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," she whispers. I smile.

"Good. I need some stability in my life." She smiles mischieviously.

"I'm anything but stable..." I groan and laugh. Mulan's grandmother appears at the doorway.

"Are you two done? We _have_ guests..." I sigh and nod. Grabbing my wife's hand, we depart the house and stand before the sea of people.

I immediately grew uncomfortable. I could stand tall in the wake of a brutal army of hundreds, but was unable to face the smiling, congratulating cheers of friends and family. How odd it was, how odd I am. I suppose it was the appreciation. I could easily be respected and feared, but I had never been praised or admired, at any time during my childhood and training. You either passed or failed. There was no congratulations. You either survived, or didn't.

I ate dinner in silence, listening to the excited banter of our future. The adults laughed at the table while small children raced around our feet. Several boys begged me to show them how to fight, while the young girls braided together a wreath of flowers for Mulan to wear in her hair. I tried not to blush to deeply, or choke on my food, as a group of older women began to discuss the multitude of imaginary children we had, or will have.

"Where will you live? Shang?" One of Mulan's old childhood friend asked me. I snapped out of my daze.

"I-uh..." I swalled deeply and continued. "The Emperor...granted us land for our...mission...a few months ago." She nodded excitedly and turned back to her friends. I tried to avoid any further conversation. When dinner was finished, I squeezed Mulan's hand and dragged her back to our room.

"Where are we going?" she pressed. I only shook my head and smiled. When we reached the bedroom, I dropped her hand and rummaged through my bags. The heavy stone was easy to find, and I grabbed the cloth package. I turned to Mulan. She was sitting on the bed now, watching me closely. I raised my eyebrows at her, and she smiled. I moved to the desk, holding the stone behind my back, and emptied out a small wooden chest used to hold wells of ink.

I set the stone inside and closed the lid. With a nod of satisfaction, I tucked the box under my arm and motioned for Mulan to follow me from the room.

...

My pulse quicked with excitement as we moved through the yard. We entered the temple, the small room seemed to vibrate with silence. I knelt in front of the rows of tablets. Mulan laughed in curiousity.

"Shang! What are you doing?" I opened the lid of the small chest and removed the polished rock. It gleamed and shimmered in the sunlight.

"Watch and see..." I teased. I set the stone down against the many others. Mulan read the characters and ran her fingers over the engraved characters.

"Oh, Shang..." she whispered. My father's name stood proud against the dark stone. I smiled.

"I am combining the family temples. My own was destroyed in war," I explained. "Besides, I figured I should have my own ancestors to pray to..." Mulan smiled and held out her hand. I took it and rose off the floor. The tiny stone was dwarfed by the others. Yet, it still seemed to shine against the others. I rather liked the thought of my father watching over me, instead of telling me what I was doing wrong.

A cry from above made our eyes shoot upwards. A thin snake fell from the ceiling and landed at my feet. I was about to step backwards when the lizard clapped it's hands over it's mouth. I looked at Mulan, her eyes filled with humour. _Mushu? This is the one who helped save China? _He looked more like he would be unable to defend himself from a pigeon, much less an evil soldier.

"So this is the famous _Mushu,_" I try to keep from laughing. The animal at my feet blinks innocently. Mulan makes a noise of conformation. It sounds as if she is trying to keep from laughing herself. I absently rub my chin.

"Somehow I pictured you..." I struggle for the right words. _Polite_ words. _Threatening. Mighty. More than a garter snake. _"_Bigger_." The eyes of the _dragon_ widened.

"You _told_ him about me? About us?" He cried. Mulan laughed and rested her palm on my chest; her head on my shoulder.

"I have _no _secrets from my husband, Mushu," she laughed. "I told him _everything_." The pocket-sized dragon gulped nervously.

"Everything?" He scurried behind the cloak of Mulan's robes. "_Everything?"_ I smile and kneel.

"That's right, _Great Golden Dragon of Unity._" Somehow I cannot picture this little...creature...as someone who could pull that off. But he was the one who had kept Mulan sane during her training, who had saved her during the battle against Shan-Yu, who had mended the gap between me and Mulan and bent the laws of two nations while maintaining peace, and he lived to tell the tale. I owed him an enormous amount of gratitude.

Mushu let out something of a whimper. I straightened out.

"I still don't get it," Mulan pressed. "What does combining our do?" _It gives me a physical home. It lets me know that someone is watching over me. It gives me somewhere to release my prayers, my thoughts, my hopes..._

"It gives me back my pedestal!" cried Mushu, suddenly outgoing and cheerful. Mulan smiles broadly.

"Oh! Wait, but can you do this? Aren't there rules?" _Rules? Now you're worried about rules? _

"Of course," I reply, taking her hands. "Right next to the rules about dressing up like a man and joining the army." Mushu laughs and scales up to Mulan's shoulder and propels himself forward, landing on the wide brim of my hat.

"Well, what do you know? This thing might just work out after all!" Heavy weights seem to fall from my shoulders. He jumps back down and begins to call out random orders. I raise my eyebrows, confused, before wrapping my arms around Mulan and dragging her close to me. We stay like this for several seconds after Mushu winds out of site between the stones.

"We should probably head back," Mulan whispers. I laugh and pull away, slightly, picking at the crown of flowers that adorns her head. She laughs and swats my hand away.

"I'd rather not..."

"Yes, well, I don't know what I'll say to my grandmother when she is looking for you. You either come with me or she comes to find you..." I shudder as I imagine the determined woman, all four and a half feet of her, dragging me back to the party. She could probably take me, too. I groan and allow my wife to pull me back towards the celebrating guests. Although I complain loudly, and entertain her with my amusing protests, I am blissfully happy. For the first time. Besides, I would follow her anywhere.

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**Awww! I don't want to stop writing this yet :(**


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